Kevin Mitchell Roots For Alex Arthur

Cockney ace Kevin Mitchell is backing fellow Brit Alex Arthur to win the Interim WBO World Super-Featherweight title – so he can rip it off him before the year is out. Edinburgh’s Arthur challenges Koba Gogoladze on July 21 at the C.I.A in Cardiff in his first world title fight..

A week earlier Mitchell, who plans to be ringside in the Welsh capital, looks to solidify his position in the WBO top ten when he challenges for the WBO Intercontinental belt against tough Russian Alexander Hrluev at the 02 Arena, London.

Mitchell’s IBF Intercontinental title will also be on the line.

And 22-year-old Mitchell, 23-0 (16), is hoping that if he impresses against Hrluev, WBO bosses will move him up in the ratings (he is currently at number seven) – and a step closer to a possible fight with Arthur.

Speaking from a training camp in Tenerife, he underlined his desire to get big-punching Arthur into the ring.

“I want to be involved in the kind of battles of Britain that made the likes of Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank famous back in the 1990s,” said Mitchell, who is the current Commonwealth super-featherweight champion.

“And if Arthur wins the WBO title then he’ll be top of my wish list.

“For that reason I’m going to be cheering him on when he fights Gogoladze in Cardiff. In fact I’m desperate for him to win so I can have first crack at him.

“I like Alex and I think he’s a really talented guy. But I’m the future and if we fought then I’d send him packing.

“I’ve always wanted to be a world champion, and that’s why I gave up the chance to go to the Olympics and turned pro when I was just 18.

“My ambition is to become a three-weight world champion, and beating Arthur to kick things off would be perfect.

“I’ve already got two of his old belts (Commonwealth, IBF Intercontinental) and if I beat Hrluev I’ll have another (WBO Intercontinental).

“But the one I really want is the WBO world title, and nothing is going to stop me getting my hands on it.”

Nicky Cook headlines the big ‘London’s Burning’ show when he challenges top American Steve Luevano for the Vacant WBO World Featherweight Championship. Chief support features boxing superstar Amir Khan challenging for Willie Limond’s Commonwealth crown. A great scrap between Commonwealth Light-Middleweight Champion Bradley Pryce and Anthony Small could be one of the fights of the night on the show and there is real battle of the ‘little men’ between Matthew Marsh and Rocky Dean for the Vacant Southern Area Super-Bantamweight Championship. Graham Earl, Steve Foster Jnr, Matthew Hall, Vinny Mitchell and the pro-debut of 2006 Commonwealth Games Champion Jamie Cox complete the card.

Tickets priced £250 (ringside), £200, £150, £100, £75, £50 and £40 are available through:

See Tickets: 0870 060 3794 and Ticketmaster 0870 602 1122

www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Doors open at 6.00pm, but may be subject to change.

See www.frankwarren.tv for more details.

For further information about the 02 visit www.theo2.co.uk